1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to hats. In even another aspect, the present invention relates to hats that can be worn without having an undue adverse affect on the wearer's hair style. In still another aspect the present invention relates to collapsible hats. In yet another aspect, the present invention relates to collapsible hats which can be worn without having an undue adverse affect on the wearer's hair style. In even still another aspect, the present invention relates to hats that do not utilize a headband circumferentially contacting the head, but rather which utilize a multiplicity of elongated support members to support the hat on the head, thus minimizing any undue adverse affect on the wearer's hairstyle, and/or allowing air to circulate around the wearer's hair. In even yet another aspect, the present invention relates to collapsible hats which contain a structure that maintains the shape of the hat, and reduces wrinkling of the crown.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hats are many times used to accessorize an outfit. Unfortunately, one of the problems encountered with wearing a hat is that the wearer's hair style will tend to be affected in an undesirable manner by the hat. For example, a headband indentation may be formed into the wearers's hair, the hair may be "flattened" by the hat, or the hair may be rearranged by the hat.
Additionally, hats that have wide brims suitable for shielding the wearer from the sun or rain will typically be too bulky to easily carry in a pocket, purse or handbag. Folding or rolling such hats will tend to wrinkle or otherwise deform them. Unfortunately, brims that can be easily folded or rolled must be soft and tend not to hold their shape.
Furthermore, another problem with collapsible hats is that they will typically look wrinkled after they have been collapsed then un-collapsed.
There have been many attempts in the prior art to solve some of the above problems.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,716,753, issued Sep. 6, 1955 to Gordon discloses a shape retaining collapsible cap which rolls or folds into a compact assembly, with the cap having a crown portion either reinforced around its perimeter or made of heavy hair cloth. Such a cap will still tend to cause an undue adverse affect on a wearer's hair style.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,803,015, issued Aug. 20, 1957 to Milone discloses an inflatable hat, which has a non-inflatable crown and an inflatable brim. Such a hat still tends to cause an undue adverse affect on a wearer's hair style, and since it requires deflating and inflating, is not readily collapsible to and from its compact form.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,097,363, issued Jul. 16, 1963 to Le Blanc discloses a plastic collapsible sun hat. The hat disclosed in this patent has a flexible frame which is formed of flexible air hoses or tubes which are inflated during use. The hat disclosed tends to cause an undue adverse affect on a wearer's hair style, and since it requires deflating and inflating, is not readily collapsible to and from its compact form.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,737,081, issued Jun. 5, 1973 to James discloses device for holding, storing and shaping western hats. Such patent does not disclose or suggest a hat which is easily collapsible or one that will not cause an undue adverse affect on a wearer's hair style.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,739,401, issued Jun. 19, 1973 to Fekete discloses a roll up hat which can be stored in a rolled up position. However, such a hat requires a snap fastener to retain it in a rolled up position, and still causes an undue adverse affect on a wearer's hair style.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,852,822, issued Dec. 10, 1974 to Watkins discloses a hard hat having a plurality of webbings about the internal periphery of the hard hat crown in order to form a suspension system operable to maintain the helmet in a spaced relationship from the wearer's head. Such a webbed hard hat is notoriously problematic to a wearer's hair style, resulting in a flattened or otherwise affected hair style. Further, this hard hat is not collapsible.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,869,727, issued Mar. 11, 1975 to Hartman discloses a foldable hat having sections, including a crown wall portion and a brim portion being hingedly connected to one another defining a hat which is to be collapsed into a folded condition in which sections are in a stacked relation. Such patent does not disclose or suggest a hat which will not affect a wearer's hair style.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,096,590, issued Jun. 27, 1978 to Keshock discloses a snap brim hat which has a crown, a brim assembly and tie straps. The brim assembly is manipulated between a pair of stable configurations. The patent does not suggest or disclose any structure for reducing wrinkling of the crown member.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,443,892, issued Apr. 24, 1984 to Burgin discloses a hat having a hat band and support structure intermediate said hat and hat band. The disclosed hat is not collapsible, and the band will tend to cause an undue adverse affect to the wearer's hair style by causing a ring like indention into hair extending circumferentially around the wearer's head.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,549,316, issued Oct. 19, 1985 to Johnson discloses a foldable hat having at least one preformed fold line along which a visor can be folded into a compact configuration. However, while in a compact configuration, the visor portion will extend from the configuration. Additionally, such a hat will still cause an undue adverse affect on a wearer's hair style.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,682,373, issued Jul. 28, 1987 to Baran discloses a collapsible hat wherein the body and brim of the hat are capable of being folded to generally curved planar condition. However, this hat requires a fastener to retain the hat in a folded condition, and will still cause an undue adverse affect on the wearer's hair style.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,815,784, issued Mar. 28, 1989 to Zheng is directed toward an automobile sunshield, but discloses in the background a cloth hat having a flexible circular member which can fold together to provide for storage. The patent does not disclose or suggest any structure for preventing an undue adverse affect on a wearer's hair.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,982,449, issued Jan. 8, 1991 to Finklestein discloses a cap brim or the like, comprising outer fabric layers joined to an intermediate backing by stitching. The backing comprises a middle layer of a foamed thermoplastic material, and outer layers of solid thermoplastic material bonded to both sides of the middle foam layer. The patent does not suggest or disclose any structure for reducing wrinkling of the crown member.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,999,851, issued Mar. 19, 1991 to Hall discloses a collapsible hat comprising a body and a frame, with the frame including a frame member and a connecting device. The patent does not disclose nor suggest any structure for preventing an undue adverse affect on a wearer's hair.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,188,097, issued Feb. 23, 1993 to Hansen discloses an apparatus for administering capillary massages to enhance the growth of hair. Such an apparatus is not a hat at all, and does not suggest or disclose any structure for preventing a wearer's hair from being "messed up". Further, this apparatus is not collapsible.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,247,709, issued Sep. 28, 1993 to Epply discloses a paper hat formed from kraft paper, having a rectangular top panel forming a crown with four planar side panels connected to the top panel. Such a hat comprises preformed fold lines along which the hat is easily folded for storage. Such a hat rests upon the wearer's head, making contact circumferentially around the wearer's head.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,287,561 issued Feb. 22, 1994 to Spector discloses a fabric hat which is easily convertible into a flying play object. The patent does not suggest or disclose any structure for preventing undue adverse affect to a wearer's hair.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,365,612, issued Nov. 22, 1994 to Yoshida discloses a disposable rain shield consisting of a bag having a looped shape and a peripheral inflatable bag. The patent does not suggest or disclose any structure for preventing an undue adverse affect to a wearer's hair.
U.S. Pat. No. Des. 352,596, issued Nov. 22, 1994 to Williams discloses an ornamental collapsible hat. The patent does not suggest or disclose any structure for preventing an undue adverse affect to a wearer's hair style.
None of the references above suggest or disclose any hat structure for preventing an undue adverse affect to a wearer's hair. Additionally, none of the above references disclose or suggest an easily collapsible hat having structure for preventing an undue adverse affect to a wearer's hair. Futhermore, none of the above references disclose or suggest a collapsible hat having structure for reducing wrinkling of the crown member after the hat has been un-collapsed.
Thus, there is a need in the art for a hat having structure for preventing an undue adverse affect to a wearer's hair.
There is another need in the art for an easily collapsible hat having structure for preventing an undue adverse affect to a wearer's hair.
There is even another need in the art for a hat having structure for shielding the wearer from the sun, rain and/or other elements, and also having structure for preventing an undue adverse affect to the wearer's hair.
There is still another need in the art for a hat that is easily collapsible into a compact nonbulky shape, and having structure for preventing an undue adverse affect to the wearer's hair.
There is yet another need in the art for a hat that is easily collapsible into a compact nonbulky shape, having structure for shielding the wearer from the sun, rain and/or other elements, and also having structure for preventing an undue adverse affect to the wearer's hair.
There is even still another need in the art for a hat that will allow air to circulate around the wearer's head to keep the head cool and yet protected from the elements.
There is even still another need in the art for a hat that is collapsible having a structure for reducing wrinkling after the hat is un-collapsed.
There is even yet another need in the art for a hat that is collapsible having a structure for reducing wrinkling after the hat is un-collapsed and also having a structure for preventing an undue adverse effect on a wearer's hair.
There is still even another need in the art for a hat that is collapsible having a structure for maintaining the shape of the crown after the hat is un-collapsed and also having a structure for preventing a wearer's hair from being "messed up".
There is still yet another need in the art for a hat that is collapsible having a structure to maintain the shape of the brim after the hat is un-collapsed and also having a structure for preventing an undue adverse effect on a wearer's hair.
These and other needs in the art will become apparent to those of skill in the art upon review of this specification, including its drawings and claims.